Tens of thousands of Serbian citizens took to the streets of Novi Sad on Saturday, blocking all three bridges across the Danube River. They came to demand justice for the 15 people who were killed when the canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad railway station collapsed three months ago.
The demonstration was the latest in a series of high-profile protests since November that has included bringing universities across the country to a standstill for several months and a 24-hour blockade of a major intersection in Belgrade.
The students are calling for political and criminal accountability, and are not satisfied with last week's resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Djuric.
But with the students determined to continue until their demands are met, and President Aleksandar Vucic equally determined not to budge, what could happen next?
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Exactly three months to the day since 15 people were killed when the canopy at the entrance to Novi Sad railway station collapsed, tens of thousands of people streamed to the banks of the River Danube in Novi Sad on Saturday where protesters were blocking all three bridges in the city.
The protesters say that it was corruption at government level that caused the deaths of these 15 people and believe that protests can pave the way for a better, more just society.
Protesters:
"I hope my child will return from abroad and live in a free Serbia."
"Crime cannot rule forever — honesty and love must prevail."
"The law just needs to be enforced, that's all."
Saturday's bridge blockade was the latest in a series of protests organized by students, who have been blocking almost all state universities in Serbia for two months now. They say they will not back down until their demands are met.
Natalija Petrovic, student:
"We primarily demand accountability — both criminal and political accountability. We have seen the resignations of the prime minister and the mayor of Novi Sad, but we have not seen them being held criminally accountable. We also demand full documentation [on the restoration work at the station]. We have experts who say that not only is the documentation incomplete, but that it has been manipulated."
Engineer Zoran Djajic, who was involved in the restoration of the station, was one of the first to point out irregularities in the construction work. Now he is part of an informal investigative committee that says it is collecting evidence that responsibility for the disaster reaches to the highest levels of government.
Zoran Djajic, geological engineer:
"But the prosecution will do nothing as long as he [Aleksandar Vucic] is head of state. This means we must do everything ourselves, together with the students, to push this to the end, to expose who is responsible. I hope we can find someone honest in the unit that prosecutes organized crime, because that's the only way. Then a few of the real culprits can be arrested, and everything will collapse like a house of cards."
After a night filled with hope, a new day dawned on Sunday and with it came a new question: How to successfully transition from blocking institutions, roads and bridges to ensuring real change?
Dusan Spasojevic, political scientist:
"Now, it is necessary to find a way to institutionalize the crisis, meaning to give it an institutional resolution. One idea being widely discussed is some form of a transitional government, which could be an expert government or one connected to the academic community, thereby creating a link with the university."
But Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has flatly rejected this proposal. Vucic is currently touring the country, speaking to citizens about the achievements of his 12-year rule, while also addressing the protests, which he claims are organized by foreign intelligence agencies.
Aleksandar Vucic, president of Serbia:
"I will never give in, and there will be no transitional or expert government. I guarantee that with my life. There will be no transitional or expert government. There will be a Serbian government. Elections? Yes! Referendum? Yes! Democracy? Yes! Everything. But there will be no government that is a servant of anyone else."
For their part, both the opposition and the students reject the idea of elections and any form of dialogue with the government.
Dusan Spasojevic, political scientist:
"An additional problem is that there is no neutral actor capable of mediating and helping — like the European Union. So far, the EU has been very passive and seems to be supporting the government."
The students are now considering what their next move will be. Some say that the time has come to step up the protests. They will decide what to do next in a democratic vote at an upcoming meeting.But first, they need a good night's sleep.